Friday, February 5, 2010

Jennifer Knapp & Derek Webb

I'm really excited to see this tour happening. I doubt that Tulsa's on the list, but I can dream, right? These are two artist/musicians that I deeply admire, and I love the whole concept of just coming together, talking, playing, sharing life... Both Derek and Jennifer have been controversial in many ways, but their art continues to challenge and inspire me to be a better person, a better artist and a better Christian.

Here's the video for Derek's controversial and much-discussed (here, here, here and even here, for example) "What Matters More," which didn't even make it on the "censored" Christian bookstore version of "Stockholm Syndrome." Lyrics below.

What Matters MoreDerek Webb

You say you always treat people like you like to beI guess you love being hated for your sexualityYou love when people put words in your mouth'Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak'Cause if you really believe what you say you believeYou wouldn't be so damn reckless with the words you speakWouldn't silently conceal when the liars speakDenyin' all the dyin' of the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what's in your heart by what comes out of your mouthThen it sure looks to me like being straight is all it's aboutIt looks like being hated for all the wrong thingsLike chasin' the wind while the pendulum swings'Cause we can talk and debate until we're blue in the faceAbout the language and tradition that he's comin' to saveMeanwhile we sit just like we don't give a shitAbout 50,000 people who are dyin' today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

And here's Jennifer's beautiful cover of Shawn Colvin's Diamond in the Rough, from long, long ago. Man, it's good to have her back.

6 comments:

As a pastor, what is your take on what the Bible says about Homosexuality? For the sake of not trying to set a trap for you, I'll go ahead and say that I'm a conservative believer, and though, not a scholar, I am a bible student.

Well hello, Anonymous! Thanks for writing... I have written a lot about the topic right here on the blog. You can check it out by clicking this link: http://mattnightingale.blogspot.com/search/label/LGBT

In a nutshell, I take the bible very seriously. I believe God designed people to have sex within the context of heterosexual marriages.

And.

I have SO MUCH grace and love for my LGBTQ friends/family... There is a ton of misunderstanding and homophobia out there that is completely unnecessary.

I thought this article was interesting and thought-provoking: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-08-column08_ST_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

No matter what people believe, I think we must speak lovingly and openly. Grace and love must guide our conversations. And I pray that we can acknowledge that there are people who really love Jesus and are trying to follow him who see things differently. I think the work of the Gay Christian Network is also powerful and thought-provoking. People choose to live their lives differently from one another but still remain in communion as brothers and sisters in Christ... some celibate, some in committed same-sex relationships, each as they believe God calls them to be... Excellent material here: http://www.gaychristian.net/greatdebate.php

Thanks, sorry to be anonymous at the moment. I was doing research for assignments when I came across your site. I'm making a bookmark and maybe when my semester is over and I can breathe I'll follow up. God bless